$100 Over Budget Already, Bonus, and other life things

 Last night in a particularly productive spurt, I updated my Walmart cart for a next pickup. Some things had been in there since the beginning of the year I believe. I think I wanted to do quarterly hauls but nothing had seemed urgent. So in that regard, maybe that's good for the budget.

Either way, by the time I was done, my cart was just under $100 and there were only 2 or 3 food items in there. I knew I had around $50 or less on my Everyday Expenses card so my progress was halted.

I waited until this morning to make the transfer from savings to my card. If you recall, I have a $400 monthly allowance for expenses such as these. In past years there is usually a month or 2 where there is surplus that gets transferred to savings. That has not been the case so far this year. 

So I will be at least $100 over this month. I'm not too concerned because the Card has done it's job. It curbs my spending; gives me opportunity to reflect and re-assess; and still gives me freedom in the budget to buy what I want without feeling restricted. Luckily, I get another $200 infusion soon. Also, another point, I like having the monthly amount provided in 2 infusions of $200 vs 1 monthly infusion of $400. 

Oh the games our minds play with us.  

Work

I'm currently in a 2-hour meeting that started at 7a. Yowzers! It's the first time I've had to set an alarm for the year. It's the first workday after the time change and it's a little rough! The sunrise colored sky helps to ease the sting. 

Life and Dating

After my post yesterday that touched on my housing situation a little, I found myself with a little housing envy. I checked apartments in my old neighborhood and I checked condos and townhomes for sale. Somehow $200k seemed a lot more manageable than it did 2 or so years ago. I don't know if that's a testament to my current job or my current financial situation. 

A guy I did 2 short phone calls with sent me a message on Hinge yesterday that he's pursuing someone else. I kinda wish I hadn't checked it before I went to sleep. Brain told me not to. Thanks, Brain! I think I really do have good intuition and instincts if I would only listen.  It didn't hurt my feelings all the way because it wasn't someone I would typically date but I haven't gotten many matches. It's so funny, the last couple guys that I wasn't that interested in and begrudgingly went along with the match turned out to not want me. Ha! 

We have the answers to a lot of our questions, if we would only listen or believe them when the messages come. 

Feelings and Health

Hurt feelings: somehow someone in our lunch group was inspired by someone else and bought concert tickets. That hurt my feelings because I have been feeling like an outsider in the group. 

Health and Routine: I was reading another blogger's goals and updates. She mentioned being in a bad place and added a routine on advice of her therapist. I had a counselor who had pointed out that I benefit from structure. But I've tried several times to structure and schedule my days but can't seem to stick to it. The most I can do is try to go to sleep at a regular time. It was 9p and has now moved to 11p. And when I was eating spicy food, I tried to stop eating by 6p but that has mostly fell to the way side. I don't eat late often but it's not something I do or don't do intentionally. Or maybe it's just habit now? I don't know.

The other thing a lot of people do is focus on health. I've tried to schedule walks and online health videos but can't seem to motivate myself to do it.

I think at this point in my life, I'm driven by necessity mostly. Long-term health just hasn't been something that is enough of a driver for long-term goals. 

Bonus and More Money Stuff

I checked to see if payslips were posted yesterday and they were! So out of a $32k gross bonus, I got $20k in net pay. That's amazing! That's like a second job! That is pretty much 1 year of post-FIRE Cash. I was trying to save $30k this year, but I think I'll just stash the $20k and be done with that goal. 

Not to count my chickens, but I think I'm done with that Hoard Cash goal for now. 

I'd like to keep a 6 month runway in regular bank accounts across all my buckets with a lean toward getting to a 6-month runway between just regular checking and saving.

As far as the perceived $10k shortfall, I'm reminded that you can technically take out Roth IRA contributions, so that's an option if needed. Also, I'm leaving a little bit of breathing room in my regular paychecks starting in April.

I've been wanting to invest in the down market so I can feel part of the noise. So while I'm not in taxable brokerage accounts, I have to remind myself that frontloading my 401k means that I am in the market! And I think I'll be going back to after-tax 401k contributions starting in April as well. 

I wanted to simplify my allocations to just index funds rather than target date funds but I'm waiting for the market to go back up. How can you buy low and sell high when you're working with the same money. 

Overall

Still adjusting to my new perspective on where I am in life. Of course, some of my Brains are trying to challenge and reject it so there will likely be some slipups. 

I kind of want to take a break from just thinking or talking about dating or meeting new people. It all feels like too much pressure.